Strip
Hot-rolled flat steel strip, not in coils, under 3 mm thick
HSN 7208 54 40 (hot-rolled flat steel strip, not in coils, of thickness less than 3 mm) is covered by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 notified vide S.O. 3716(E). Conformity to IS 1079 and IS 513 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024. Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 1079 or IS 513 as applicable to the product variant. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility address on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
- 2Ensure every unit of strip bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Each consignment must also be accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer.Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
- 3Register the consignment on the SIMS portal, paying the ₹500 registration fee, no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; it must remain within validity on the date of arrival.DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC HS policy condition 5 of Chapter 72
- 4For any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before importation, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification vide F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular.Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
- 5If importing seconds or defective HR coils, sheets, or plates, comply with value restrictions, port restrictions, and the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. Check whether S.O. 5134(E) defers enforcement at the specific serial number applicable to this product before filing the bill of entry.ITC HS policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
The single most common error on this tariff line is overlooking S.O. 5134(E), which defers BIS enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the 2024 QCO for three years from gazette publication. An importer who assumes blanket enforcement across all IS 1079 and IS 513 sub-items — without confirming whether the specific serial number covering this product variant has been deferred — risks either unnecessary compliance spend on a non-operative entry or, conversely, filing without a CM/L on an entry that remains fully operative and triggering consignment detention.